Born:
November 9, 1945 (age 71)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Other names:
Charles Robinson
Charles P. Robinson
Occupation: Actor, director
Years active: 1971–present
(Harry Anderson, left in picture, died April 2018)
Spouse(s):
Venus Duran (divorced; 3 children)
Dolorita Noonan-Robinson (3rd wife; 1996–present; 3 children)
Children: 6
Charles "Charlie" Robinson (born November 9, 1945) is an American theater, television and film actor. He is best known for his role on the NBC sitcom Night Court as Macintosh "Mac" Robinson (Seasons 2–9), the clerk of the court and a Vietnam War veteran. Although his most frequent on-screen billing has been Charlie Robinson, Night Court had credited him as "Charles Robinson" throughout his 1984–92 stint as Mac.
In two of his earliest film appearances, 1974's Sugar Hill and 1975's The Black Gestapo, he was credited as Charles P. Robinson. Some of his credits have been occasionally commingled with those of Charles Knox Robinson who, between 1958 and 1971, made numerous television and film appearances under the name Charles Robinson.
Early career
A native of Houston, Robinson has been performing since the 1960s, is a member of the Actors Studio, and is considered by playwright Lyle Kessler to be "one of the great American Actors." In his early career, he was a singer; as a teenager with the group Archie Bell and the Drells, and later with a group called Southern Clouds of Joy. In the late 1960s, Charlie attended, and was enrolled in, Studio 7, an acting school operated by Chris Wilson at the Houston Music Theatre. He stayed with Chris when the school was moved to another location in Southwest Houston where mainly children's theatre was presented. Charlie was cast in a made for TV production and soon moved to the Hollywood area where his career took off.
Later career
Robinson's acting credits include appearances in Black Gestapo, The White Shadow, Flamingo Road, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, The Game, Touched by an Angel, and Antwone Fisher. Robinson was cast in the role on Newdell in the NBC comedy Buffalo Bill. Not the show it was expected to be, Buffalo Bill was canceled after one season and replaced by Night Court. Robinson was cast as court clerk Mac Robinson, after the first season in 1984, when Karen Austin, who played the original court clerk, left the cast. Robinson played the role on Night Court from 1984 until the show ended in 1992.
He also directed three episodes of the series. From 1992 to 1995, Robinson co-starred on the sitcom Love & War, replacing John Hancock who died a few episodes into the series run. Robinson played character Bud Harper in Home Improvement, and has appeared in many other television shows including House, The Bernie Mac Show, My Wife and Kids, Soul Food, Charmed, Hart of Dixie, How I Met Your Mother and My Name Is Earl.
He has done commercial work for NEXTEL. He was asking a worker if he's "agitating my dots" after he walks in on two other dispatchers staring at the dots, which represented delivery workers, on a computer screen.
2000–2016
In 2010, Robinson worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and co-starred in the film Jackson which was directed by J.F. Lawton. Robinson appeared as "Troy" in August Wilson's Fences in Southern California's South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa from January 22, 2010 until February 21, 2010. In September 2013, he returned to the theater to portray Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman.
He appeared in an Aspen Dental commercial in 2015 as the customer who coined the phrase, "I am not doin' that." This is in response to the receptionist telling him that he would have to drink his meals through a straw until his dentures were ready.
Awards and nominations
Robinson received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series.
Filmography
Year/Title/Role/Notes
1974/Sugar Hill/Bernie Simmons
1975/The Black Gestapo/Colonel Kojah
1975/Caribe Kishara/the Assassin
1977/A Killing Affair/Buck Fryman
1977 The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald Melvin Johnson
1978 Gray Lady Down McAllister
1978 The White Shadow Jackie Solomon
1979 Lou Grant Don Vet TV series
1979 Roots: The Next Generations Luke Bettiger TV miniseries
1979 Buffalo Soldiers Private Wright TV movie
1981 Flamingo Road Phil TV series
1982 Hill Street Blues Roy TV series (1 episode)
1982 Rehearsal for Murder The Second Officer
1982 St. Elsewhere Bill Austin TV series (1 episode)
1983–1984 Buffalo Bill Newdell TV series
1984 The River Truck
1984–1992 Night Court Mac Robinson TV series (Seasons 2-9)
1986 Hotel TV series (1 episode)
1988 Crash Course Larry Pearle TV movie
1990 Murder C.O.D. Lieutenant Silk TV movie
1992–1995 Love & War Abe Johnson TV series
1993 CBS Schoolbreak Special Sam Raynor TV series (1 episode)
1995 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Ernest TV series (1 episode)
1995–1999 Home Improvement Bud Harper TV series (9 episodes)
1996 Ink Ernie Trainor TV series
1996 The John Larroquette Show Norm TV series (1 episode)
1996 Project: ALF Dr. Stanley TV movie
1996 In the House Major TV series (1 episode)
1996 The Crew Reverend Edwards TV series (1 episode)
1996 Set It Off Nate Andrews
1997–1998 Malcolm & Eddie Marcus McGee TV series (2 episodes)
1998 Buddy Faro El Jefe TV series
1998 Land of the Free Matt McCaster (McCuster)
1999 Beowulf Weaponsmaster Movie
2001 The Trouble with Normal Mr. Lindquist TV series (1 episode)
2002 Miss Lettie and Me Isiah Griffin TV movie
2006 How I Met Your Mother Bank President TV series (1 episode)
2007–2014 The Game (U.S. TV series) Mr. Pitts TV series (4 episodes)
2008 30 Rock Himself "The One with the Cast of Night Court"
2015–2017 K.C. Undercover Pops TV series (3 episodes)
2017 The Quad (2017 TV series) Bradford TV series (1 episode)
2017 The Guest Book Wilfred TV series
2017 Disjointed Scooter Boots TV series